Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-09-28
VICKSBURG CAPTURED
WAR EXPERIENCES OF AN OLD AKIN
TRLRGRAPHBR-
Quick Time Made Out Of the City-Crssing the
Mssiszppi-A Long, Lively, EVsntful Tramp
Safe. Arrival Home.
Galveston Nous.

nrlng does not luulCtte Sitiu' P"J'
booming of these big guns, at first deliber
ately, gradually gaining in rapidity, &C
c~ompauied by the roaring of thousands o.
small arms rattling like fve-crackers ex
ploded in packs, giving n an idea OF
diabolical concert, in which all the fend:
of the lower regions are participating
means business, strictly business.
There's no doubt about somebody get
ting hurt, for the revel of death is at itS
height. It's a sad feeling to know that
many of the boys in gray are biting the
dust. Now it's the crack of a single
musket, followed instantly by the volly oil
~platoons, which is merged o into one
grand roar of a continuous line of musketry'
/ remember wondering to myself who
fred that solitary shot, and If he, on the
next instant, didn't succumb before the
blaze of that great succeeding volley.
Couriers come in bringing the news tina
we are falling back to Big Black bridge,
and we know the enemy are gradually get
ting 10 our rear, and will soon have Nicks'
burg in an anaconda coil.
There is now only one way OF eSrsSs
from the doomed city, and by that route a
regiment of cavalry are driving thousands
Of horses and mules TO a place of safety,
and l, following the exciting crowd, al
most preferring capture, with a trip up
North in a crowded transport, compared
to which a description of a packed SLAYER
pales into insignifcance, with the single
thought of escaping from the living tomb,
as Vicksburg proved for many long days
to thousands of as brave souls as ever don
ned a soldiers attire.
We went pell-mell, as panic-stricken a
crowd as ever straddled horses. The ami
mails seemed to have caught the infection,
and like centaurs of old swept like a whirl-
wind in mad destruction to escape the
threatened doom. After this wild and
reckless plunge of many miles We found
ourselves temporarily beyond danger OF
the enemy. They had sealed Vicksburg
up and made a charge for Jackson, where
General Jonston had registered his name
on a page of the Bowman House register
that morning, and where, upon the OPP
posite page, General Grant registered his
bold U. s. G.. a few hours later.
That hotel register should have been pre-
served in the archives at Washington for
ever.
The moth. eaten flags that are causing
such q cOmmotion in the enthusiastic
hearts of the G. A. K. pensioners would
prove a mere bauble, a child's toy, in com
parison.
This was war on a wholesale scale,
totally unlike the Steel and Ferguson
dances up and down Deer creek. | felt
that when Vicksburg was sealed up its
capture was only a question of time, and
the downfall of Vicksburg meant the back,
bone of the cOnfederacy broken.
The soil surrounding Vicksburg for
many miles was crimsoned with the best
blood of the land, both blue and gray.
One consolation We enjoyed those days
but these feelings have long since passed
away was tE" the quantity ofblood which
flowed from lie invaders almost deluged
the country. In fact it serves TO enrich
the soil ofthose old, red hills and valleys
until this day.
II is impossible to ever estimate the
number of the killed and wounded in that
grand Grant" march to Jackson, with
men as innumerable as the sands of the sea.
The strongest side generally wins i'll the
long run, and they surely did win in this
fight, but at an awful sacrifice of men.
We soon found ourselves at Canton, %
miles north of Jackson, where / parted
company with that tired crowd of men and
horses.
Selling one Of my horses for 81, 200, Con,
federate money. | straddlcd the other and
took myself %nOrthward until | reached the
banks of the Bouge Phalia, as pretty a
stream as the South can produce. 1t runs
parallel with Deer creek its whole length,
the streams being about three miles dis,
tant from each other, through several
counties. II was here / found hundreds
of Africans who could not speak a word OF
English. They were the property OF
General Wade Hampton. now senator from
South Carolina. The general was the
largest owner of slaves in the South, and ]
believe had, If my memory serves me right,
about 5000 in Mississippi and as great or a
greater number in South Carolina.
These Africans invariably took to the
canebrake whenever they had reasons for
believing that the feds" were coming ont
from the river on a raid. They were as
afraid of the "Yanks" as Satan was sup,
posed TO be of holy water.
They believe to this day that "Massa
Hampton" is the only great man living.
The general owned 80 many negroes in
Mississippi that he did not know his own
when he met them, and when he would
meet one OF his own and ask him who ht
belonged TO and received the reply. 81
b'long to YOU" he always gave the darkey
q piece of tobacco from a piece he carried
for that purpose.
| have often thought the general brought
Africans to this country by the boatload
and wouldn't be surprised if many of then
were still ont in those canebrakes hidinl
from the Yanks.
The next morning brought me TO within
three or four miles of the Mississippi op
posite Napoleon, Ark. ! learned from
party with whom l stopped that nigh
that could only cross the river at nigh
after II o'clock. Hundreds OF deserters
he Informed me, were crossing every night
lie further informed me that they woul,
not cross a horse, as the animal woul
snort so when he struck cold water tina
the noise would attract the attention O
patrol boats that were going up and dow
the river continually to prevent peopl
crossing.
Here was a dilemma. How could
leave my horse, and how could | walk I
Texas after reaching the other side? H
advanced the interesting information tina
with a horse or pistol with me, the Jay
hawkers, who were as thick az gnats in
swamp, would relieve me before / coul
travel a mile in Arkansas. He added tina
he would like to have my horse, and tina
he would loan me $50 in greenhacks O
the horse and six shooter, redeemabl
when ! returned to Mississippi.
But, young man, you'll have TO have
safe place to hide those greenbacks, 70
they search everybody and should you oh
iect in the least you'll be a gone COOL
They won't take your 'Confed' money
All they want Is property and goo
money"
closed a bargain with him Instant
and found myself "a foot back and u1
armed. ripped a place IN the inside {
my old alligator boots, where my 81
greenbacks fitted in nicely. ] had 81 {
| the IS in silver preaented IN mo by m